Blue Line extension to be focus of public meetings

CHARLOTTE — The city of Charlotte is seeking public input on 11 stations that have been proposed for the extension of the Lynx Blue Line light-rail system.

One of three workshops open to the public will be held Thursday. The others are scheduled for Oct. 18 and Nov. 1.

All of the meetings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church, 101 Sugar Creek Road.

Plans call for the Blue Line to be extended from uptown Charlotte to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Kathleen Cornett, senior planning coordinator for the city, told the city’s Planning Commission Monday that the city expects to have the 9.3 miles of track to UNC-C completed, and the trains to be running, by 2017. The city estimates the Blue Line system will have an additional 25,000 riders by then, she said.

According to Charlotte Area Transportation System spokesman Olaf Kinard, about 15,000 people ride the Blue Line each day currently.

Andy Zoutewelle, chairman of the Planning Commission’s Planning Committee, called the Blue Line extension “the planning committee’s main project this year.”

Plans call for 11 stations at the following locations:

• Ninth Street near North Brevard Street

• Parkwood Avenue near North Brevard Street

• 25th Street near North Brevard Street

• 36th Street near North Davidson Street

• Sugar Creek Road near Craighead Road (with park-and-ride lot)

• Old Concord Road near North Tryon Street (with park-and-ride lot)

• Tom Hunter Road near North Tryon Street

• University City Boulevard near Rocky River Road (with park-and-ride lot)